Wanderlust Part II: Bon Jour!

In the span of 60 hours I drove to Montreal, raised a little hell, and drove back. I must be out of my fucking mind. I went up for the International Comedy Festival and tried to be productive but that went out the window as soon as I hit the city limits. I met up with Trev and Blondie. They’re fun. They took me around town, bought me dinner, and we caught some really kick ass shows including the premier of the new Family Guy movie which rocked. Not as good as South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut but somewhere on that level.

The drive up wasn’t as big a grind as I thought it would be. The stretch between Philly and just past New York sucked as usual. I absolutely loathe the turnpike and the interstate romp through the boroughs. But once you get past Albany it gets pretty picturesque and rugged. Total Camp Crystal Lake shit. If you’re into fishing, lakes, and mountains, you’ll love the place. I’d personally hate to see the place after dark because I get the feeling that nothing is open.

Simply put, Montreal is fucking gorgeous. But to be fair, any city by a body of water looks good at night. Hell, Pittsburgh and Baltimore can look good if see them at the right angle at night. I couldn’t quite pin down the vibe of the city easily, not in just two days. On the weekends, the city is crawling with activity. They culture there is French Canadian and really friendly. Nightlife is kind of pricey but who cares? I hate exercising fiscal restraint on vacation.

There were some subtle differences. It was kind of weird seeing anarchist/punk rock kids with squeegees trying to make money on the street. Montreal, hell Canada in general, isn’t nearly as puritanical as the US, gay couples are a more common sight on the street. Not in a pride festival way, more like a “hey, we’re going grocery shopping,” type thing. There’s a crazy mix of French, English, and Carribean wthnic groups in the city, a lot of old architecture, and its very hilly.

I definitely have to go back. Hopefully I’ll be on the comedy festival next year.